"He's in contention," Alex McLeish, the Birmingham manager, said yesterday. "[Franck] Queudrue's in contention. [Rafael] Schmitz is in contention. We have choices and we have to try and find the formula which we feel is right for this particular game."

The need to consider bringing back Taylor to play alongside Rahdi Jaidi at the centre of the Birmingham defence has been accelerated by the enforced absence of Liam Ridgewell, who serves an automatic two-match suspension after receiving his 10th yellow card of the season last week at Reading.

"He's ready fitness-wise, I think," McLeish said of Taylor. "He's only played one reserve game in four or five weeks, but he's ready to play. But I have got to consider if it significantly improves the team."

There will be concern, however, about the state of mind of the man they call 'Tiny' after the spectacular fall-out that followed his mis-timed challenge that broke Arsenal striker Eduardo's leg in two places. But McLeish said: "If I thought there was a problem I would consider that.

"If he was tentative at all I would have to consider it. But I don't really see any signs of that. He had a run in a reserve game [last week]. Maybe he needs another reserve game for us to then make a proper judgment."

Taylor had only returned to the team two weeks before Arsenal's visit on Feb 23, and had formed a partnership with Ridgewell which had helped Birmingham collect valuable points against Derby and West Ham. "Tiny came in and he deserved to keep his place," McLeish said.

McLeish will decide after training today whether Taylor is ready mentally and physically to return. He will not allow his decision to be influenced by the anticipated heightened interest that will surround Taylor's reappearance in a blue shirt. "It's time to get on with it," McLeish said. "Let's get on with it."